Cohen: Race is 'wedge'

Contentious meeting turns on issue of hue

Charges of racism and dirty politics filled the airwaves and jammed phone lines Wednesday after a public showdown between a group of Baptist pastors and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen.

The Memphis Democrat's appearance at Tuesday's meeting of the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association was a hot topic on talk radio, said numerous pastors who also said they fielded calls all day on the subject.

The discussions followed an excoriation of Cohen by some black ministers for his support for a federal hate crimes bill.

But the freshman congressman's endorsement of that bill was eclipsed by charges that Cohen cannot adequately represent the predominately black Ninth District.

Cohen and some ministers speculated that the attack was an attempt to garner support for Nikki Tinker, who is black. She lost to Cohen by 4,459 votes in last August's Democratic primary.

"It's not my sentiment, but I understand the frustration of some who see this seat as one held so long by a person of color and that now is held by a white man," said Dr. Randolph Meade Walker, pastor at Castalia Baptist Church. "Some see it as a step back to lose the seat, but I think Rep. Cohen has done a good job, is fair and I appreciate him."

Cohen slammed the detractors, describing them as politically motivated and more concerned about race than record.

"African-Americans elected me to this seat, not based on my race, but because of who they felt could best represent them," Cohen said Wednesday. "There is no way anyone can beat me on my voting record or my response to the community and issues that affect them, so some are attempting to use race as a wedge."

Cohen had been invited to the weekly meeting of the ministers' group to discuss his support for a federal hate crimes bill.

But during a question-and-answer period following Cohen's remarks, some participants questioned the freshman congressman's ability to represent his black constituents.

The mood of the room quickly turned combative and several pastors taunted Cohen, referred to him as a "boy" and said his days as congressman were numbered.

When he finished speaking, Cohen left the room, but was asked to come back inside to address the group again. His return was met with jeering and catcalls and Cohen ended up leaving without answering any other questions.

Rev. Robert Poindexter of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church was one of the dissenters, saying of Cohen, "He's not black and he can't represent me, that's just the bottom line." Repeated attempts to contact Poindexter on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

The experience proved so contentious that the group's leaders later said they would issue a letter of apology to Cohen.

"If he was offended then I'm very sorry about that and I want to publicly apologize," said Rev. Bassil Brooks, the group's president. "We want him to know we are not angry. Many of us do not agree with his support of this bill, but we do not as a group believe that he is unfit to represent the district because of his race."

Cohen accused political rivals of using skin tone to sway voters.

"I think it was an orchestrated effort, not by the ministers as a whole, but by a few Tinker supporters," Cohen said. "They can't criticize the job I'm doing, so they're reduced to criticizing my race."

A reporter could not reach Tinker, who was out of town Wednesday, according to a campaign worker, who would not identify herself. The worker said Tinker had read the article in The Commercial Appeal about Cohen's meeting with the pastors, but had not issued a statement.

In response to a request by The Commercial Appeal for a comment from Tinker, the campaign worker said questions would have to be mailed to a Memphis post office box for Tinker to consider replying.

Rhodes College political science professor Marcus Pohlmann said the confrontation could benefit both sides.

"This could rally his moderate base and at the same time it may energize a conservative faction that opposes him," Pohlmann said. "As odd as it sounds, since he's the incumbent, he's almost considered the underdog now. And what seems to have been lost in the shuffle is the issue of hate crimes."

Cohen, who is Jewish, called the criticism a thinly veiled plot to undermine his reputation and attributed it to a group of extremists. He said that a national network of activists is working behind the scenes to create division within the Democratic Party.

"The ayatollahs of America have struck in Memphis," Cohen said in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. "They're a coalition of right-wing Republicans who don't believe in the separation of church and state."

For ministers like Father John Geaney, race shouldn't create a conflict. Geaney, who is white, is spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Memphis and serves as pastor at historically black St. Augustine Catholic Church.

"I don't think race should ever be part of our dialogue, although regrettably it often is," Geaney said. "I'm reminded of Dr. King and his dream that we judge not on the color of their skin, but on the quality of character."

Rev. O.C. Collins, a member of the ministers' association, agreed. As a result of Tuesday's meeting, he invited Cohen to speak to his congregation, Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, on Sunday.

"It's hypocrisy to say that a white person can't represent the black community," Collins said. "That's racist talk and we need to put an end to it now. We need to be about the business of mending fences, not building bigger ones."